Dark Grout with White Metro Tiles - Tile Advice

[Zuffler]

Firstly, apologies if this has been asked before or I'm posting in the wrong section.

My kitchen is being re tiled and we have requested white Metro tiles from Topps and thought a dark grey grout would look good.

today the builders have informed me that 'the dark grout will stain the white tiles' and would it be possible to use a white or cream grout?'

having seen white tiles and dark grout advertised in the Topps Tiles YouTube video (6 seconds in) and also in the catalogue I am confused. Is this really the case or is it more that it takes a lot more time and diligence when working with non white grout to ensure it is cleaned off the tiles before it sets and therefore stains the tile? Given the tiles are glazed does this not make it easier to clean off the excess grout?

if anyone could give me an honest answer I would be most grateful. My cynical side says they just don't want to put the time or effort in whilst my other nicer side thinks they may well just be being honest with me, although certainly I can find a lot of examples of white tiles and grey grout out there on the web!

many thanks in advance

 

[Mr Tiler]

white grout looks better i.m.o on these tiles, but there shouldn't be any issue with it being grouted in a dark colour... maybe it is the fact that you are using a ''builder'' rather than a tiler. builders are not tillers

 

[John Benton]

Unless they are a crackle glaze then they should be ok. The fact that a dark grout would accentuate any discrepancies in joint width could be the reason why they are avoiding a dark colour. If that's what you want, that's what you should have IMO.

 

[Sean Kelly]

Have what colour grout you want. As you say, they are glazed ceramic tiles and will be easier to clean than matt tiles. It's all down to personal taste. I personally would go for white grout on white metro, but it's not my kitchen! You have seen the grout/tile combination and you like it, so tell the builder that's what you want. Hopefully your builder is employing a tiler to do the job.

 

[White Room]

Putting a dark grout on a light/white tile the tiling needs to be spot on.....

 

[AliGage]

Unless they are a crackle glaze then they should be ok. The fact that a dark grout would accentuate any discrepancies in joint width could be the reason why they are avoiding a dark colour. If that's what you want, that's what you should have IMO.

Exactly. Thats the only reason not to use a dark grout on a gloss white tile, Especially a metro.
But I wonder, would a cream grout not turn them yellow???

 

[Time's Ran Out]

It could be a bit of both!
If you read the information on the side of the grout packaging it will advise that dark grouts CAN stain tiles. It is not necessarily the face of the tile but from the sides of the biscuit where it is unglazed. This is often the case on soft bodied single fired ceramics so it will be worth doing a test area first.
At the end of the day it is your choice but imo they have brought to your attention a potential failure.

 

[cam_low]

I recon the dark grey on white looks nice. Dark grouts are harder work. Topps do not do a crackle glaze metro iirc.

I'm going with the devil in me and saying they want an easy life.

 

[Stef]

I think you got it to start with, The "Builder" says??
He probably only has white grout & doesn't want to buy grout as he is a builder & not a tiler.
Here's a job I done a few weeks ago.

This is Weber grey grout.

 

[peteablard]

I'd get a quote from a professional tiler, don't let your builder do it. A quick search on here will give you loads of horror stories about bodged jobs by builders who think they can tile!

 

[Marksmithtiling]

I like dark grout with white tiles, if thats what you want and there are no issues with the tiles as mentioned above thats what you should have !!

 

[Rookery]

I once did a full bathroom in white metros and black grout at the customers request. Not my cup of tea but the customer liked it. Unlike using white grout, you've got no margin of error and the tiles need to be good uns too.

 

[Ubudlulu]

Exactly. Thats the only reason not to use a dark grout on a gloss white tile, Especially a metro.
But I wonder, would a cream grout not turn them yellow???

Ali - what colour grout is this?

 

[macten]

I personally prefer dark grout on these tiles.
Did this one a couple of weeks ago in Anthracite

 

[AliGage]

Ali - what colour grout is this?

This one was Ardex Dove Grey